Glossary of terms : UK Accounting and Bookkeeping A-Z
Confused over the meaning of certain bookkeeping terms? Use our glossary of basic terminology to look it up! Further resources provided.
- account payable
- account receivable
- accountancy firm
- accountancy profession
- accounting equation
- accounting period
- accounting policies
- accounting standards
- Accounting Standards Board
- accruals basis
- accumulated depreciation
- acid test
- acquiree
- acquirer
- acquisition
- acquisition method
- administrative expenses
- agency
- agency theory
- aggregate depreciation
- allocate
- allocated, allocation
- amortisation
- annual report
- articles of association
- articulation
- assets
- associated company
- audit
- audit manager
- bad debt
- balance sheet
- bank facility
- bond
- broker (stockbroker)
- broker's report
- business combination
- business cycle
- business entity
- called up (share capital)
- capital
- capital expenditure
- capitalisation issue
- cash
- cash equivalents
- cash flow projections
- cash flow statement
- chairman
- charge
- chief executive
- close season
- commercial paper
- Companies Act
- comparability
- completeness
- conceptual framework
- conservatism
- consistency
- consolidated financial statements
- consolidation
- contingent liabilities
- control
- convertible loan
- corporate governance
- corporate recovery department
- corporate social responsibility
- corporation tax
- cost
- cost of goods sold
- cost of sales
- coupon
- credit (bookkeeping system)
- credit (terms of business)
- credit note
- credit purchase
- credit sale
- creditor
- critical event
- current asset
- current liability
- current value
- customers' collection period
- cut-off procedures
- debenture
- debtor
- deep discount bond
- default
- deferred asset
- deferred income
- deferred taxation
- depreciable amount
- depreciation
- derecognition
- difference on consolidation
- direct method (of operating cash flow)
- Directive
- director(s)
- disclosed, disclosure
- discount received
- dividend
- dividend cover
- dividend yield
- doubtful debts
- drawings
- earnings for ordinary shareholders
- earnings per share
- effective interest rate
- efficient markets hypothesis
- endorsed
- endorsement
- entity, entities
- entry price
- equities analyst
- equity
- equity accounting
- equity interest
- equity portfolio
- equity shares
- eurobond market
- exit price
- exit value
- expense
- external reporting
- external users (of financial statements)
- fair value
- faithful presentation
- financial accounting
- financial adaptability
- financial gearing
- financial information
- Financial Reporting Standard
- financial risk
- financial statements
- financial viability
- financing activities
- fixed asset
- fixed assets
- fixed assets usage
- fixed capital
- fixed cost
- floating charge
- forecast
- format
- forward exchange contract
- fully paid
- fund manager
- gearing (financial)
- general purpose financial statements
- going concern basis
- goodwill
- gross
- gross margin
- gross margin ratio
- gross profit
- group
- highlights statement
- historical cost
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
- IAS
- IASB
- IASB system
- IFRS
- impairment
- impairment review
- impairment test
- improvement
- income statement
- incorporation
- indirect method (of operating cash flow)
- insider information
- institutional investor
- intangible
- interest (on loans)
- interim reports
- internal reporting
- inventory
- investing activities
- investors
- joint and several liability (in a partnership)
- key performance indicators
- leasing
- legal form
- leverage
- liabilities
- limited liability
- limited liability company
- liquidity
- listed company
- listing requirements
- Listing Rules
- loan covenants
- loan notes
- loan stock
- long-term finance, long-term liabilities
- management
- management accounting
- margin
- market value (of a share)
- marking to market
- matching
- material
- materiality
- maturity
- memorandum (for a company)
- merger
- minority interest
- net
- net assets
- net book value
- net profit
- net realisable value
- neutral
- nominal value (of a share)
- non-controlling interest
- non-current assets
- non-current liabilities
- notes to the accounts
- off-balance-sheet finance
- offer for sale
- operating activities
- operating and financial review
- operating gearing
- operating margin
- operating risk
- ordinary shares
- ownership interest
- par value
- parent company
- partnership
- partnership deed
- partnership law
- portfolio (of investment)
- portfolio of shares
- preference shares
- preliminary announcement
- premium
- prepayment
- present fairly
- price-sensitive information
- price–earnings ratio
- primary financial statements
- principal (sum)
- private limited company (Ltd)
- production overhead costs
- profit
- profit and loss account
- prospective investor
- prospectus
- provision
- provision for doubtful debts
- prudence
- public limited company (plc)
- purchase method
- purchases
- qualified audit opinion
- quality of earnings
- quoted company
- realised profit, realisation
- recognised
- recognition
- Registrar of Companies
- relevance
- reliability
- replacement cost
- reserves
- residual value
- retained earnings
- retained profit
- return
- return (in relation to investment)
- return on capital employed
- return on shareholders' equity
- return on total assets
- revaluation reserve
- revenue
- rights issue
- risk (in relation to investment)
- sales
- sales invoice
- secured loan
- segmental reporting
- share capital
- share certificate
- share premium
- shareholders
- shareholders' funds
- shares
- short-term finance
- sole trader
- specific purpose financial statements
- stakeholders
- statement of changes in equity
- statement of principles
- statement of recognised income and expense
- statement of total recognised gains and losses
- stepped bond
- stewardship
- stock
- stock exchange
- stock holding period
- stock market
- subsidiary company
- substance (economic)
- subtotal
- suppliers' payment period
- tangible fixed assets
- timeliness
- total assets usage
- trade creditors
- trade debtors
- trade payables
- trade receivables
- true and fair view
- turnover
- UK ASB system
- understandability
- unlisted (company)
- unrealised
- unsecured creditors
- unsecured loan
- value to the business
- variance
- work-in-progress
- working capital
- working capital cycle
- written down value